Priyanka files nomination for maiden electoral battle from Wayanad seat
WAYANAD (KERALA): Making her electoral debut, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, led a massive roadshow in Kalpetta here and filed her nomination for the Wayanad Lok Sabha by-poll, on Wednesday. She said that she has 35 years of experience in the political arena beginning from the age of 17 years when she campaigned for her late father Rajiv Gandhi in 1989.
Priyanka, who reached Wayanad last night with her mother and Congress Parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, led the roadshow along with her brother — Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi — in Kalpetta. She addressed a large number of people who had gathered here to give her a rousing welcome with placards, balloons and drum beats.
Addressing the gathering ahead of filing nominations for the November 13 by-poll, she said: “I have campaigned for my mother, for my brother and for many of my (party) colleagues. This is the first time I am campaigning for myself.”
Her statement comes a day after BJP’s Wayanad Lok Sabha by-poll candidate Navya Haridas said she was more experienced in representing people than Priyanka.
Priyanka’s candidacy follows her brother Rahul Gandhi’s decision to vacate the Wayanad seat, which he held from 2019 to 2024, after opting to retain his Rae Bareli seat in the general elections earlier this year.
Flanked by senior Congress leaders such as Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Priyanka expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity to contest in Wayanad. “It is my honour to represent you, if you give me a chance,” she told the cheering crowd, crediting Kharge for giving her the “privilege” of being the UDF candidate. Reflecting on her earlier visits to Wayanad, Priyanka recalled the aftermath of the devastating landslides that claimed over 200 lives and destroyed villages in the hill district. She praised the resilience and courage of the people, stating: “Your courage deeply touched me. It would be a big honour and a great privilege to be a part of your community and your family.” In an emotional moment, Priyanka acknowledged the support Wayanad had shown to her brother Rahul during his tenure as MP, particularly during challenging times. “My whole family will always remain indebted to you for this support. I promise to strengthen the bond between you and him,” she said.
Rahul Gandhi, in his own speech, asked the people of Wayanad to take care of his sister as they had done for him. “There will be two MPs from Wayanad in Parliament,” he quipped, with Priyanka as the official MP and himself as the “unofficial” one. Taking a dig at the BJP, Priyanka accused the ruling party of dividing people and undermining democracy. “They do not hesitate to subvert democracy. It is not the politics on which our nation was founded,” she remarked, further emphasizing the need for unity and equality as espoused by religious texts such as the Bible, Gita, and Quran.
After their public address, Priyanka left for the collectorate where she filed her nomination papers in the presence of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Kharge and AICC general secretary K C Venugopal.
Subsequently, Priyanka and Rahul visited the Puthumala mass burial ground and paid tribute to those who lost their lives in the Wayanad landslides.
Priyanka would be contesting against LDF’s Sathyan Mokeri and BJP’s Navya Haridas. Voting in Wayanad will be held on November 13.
Priyanka Gandhi declared assets worth over Rs 12 crore. Her movable assets total Rs 4.24 crore, including bank deposits, mutual fund investments, a car gifted by her husband
Robert Vadra, and gold. Priyanka’s immovable assets are valued at Rs 7.74 crore, including agricultural land in Delhi and a Shimla property. Robert Vadra’s assets amount to over Rs 65 crore. Priyanka also faces liabilities of Rs 15.75 lakh and ongoing tax reassessment proceedings. Additionally, she is named in two FIRs related to incidents in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
